OFFSTONE JAN EDITION 2026

72 NEGOTIATION OF NEEDS, BRANDING ACCEPTANCE AND PURCHASE BEHAVIOR TOWARDS PRODUCTS THAT USE RELIGION IN BRANDING By: Muhammad Zarihi Nubhan Abdul Rahman, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norhayati Rafida Abdul Rahim & Amirul Syakirin Ahmad Ridzuan 4251020@raudhah.usim.edu.my The first author is a PhD candidate in Communication at the Faculty of Leadership and Management Studies, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). His research interests include negotiation, media, broadcasting, and consumer purchasing behaviour. ABSTRACT This paper examines how faith shapes consumer choices in Malaysia's diverse marketplace. When brands use sacred symbols, they speak to believers' hearts, but risk reducing religion to a mere sales tool. Current advertising rules provide limited ethical guidance, creating tension between commercial freedom and religious sensitivity. The analysis calls for new, compassionate guidelines rooted in Maqasid Syari'ah to navigate this complex terrain, ensuring both marketplace integrity and societal harmony. Introduction Religion functions psychologically and socially by influencing the way society lives, whether in determining decisions or behavior towards a need. Individual religion is formed from the process of learning, theoretical and practical understanding through intellectual development from various communication delivery mediums. However, the dynamics of thinking and determination for religious individuals towards a need cannot necessarily be determined by their intelligence or knowledge as well as their firmness and confidence in their beliefs (faith). Determining behavioral decisions as a result of assessing the needs of products that use religious elements in branding involves many priority factors that influence a decision through